Endeavor’s title as Number One hero is put to the test, as a terrifyingly strong Nomu tears through the city. The new Symbol of Peace burns as bright as the sun in this stunning, climactic battle.

The Review

Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):

This is the beginning of a new era for My Hero Academia’s quirk-based society. Like the Kamino incident from Season Three, everyone’s eyes are glued to the TV as the Number One Hero faces off against a malicious force of destruction. Whereas All Might vs. All For One brought an end to the reigning Symbol of Peace, this fight establishes a new chapter in the fight of good versus evil.

As the Endeavor vs. High-End battle rages on, the Todoroki family drama is brought back into the light. Endeavor forged his path to Number One at the expense of his family. After years of suffering, his children hold mixed feelings about their estranged father – a grey area of resentment, fear, and indignation. Natsuo and Fuyumi Todoroki visit their mother in the hospital, the topic of Endeavor always hanging over their heads. While Natsuo feels the most bitter about his father, their mother Rei is surprisingly supportive of him. Despite his lack of compassion, Rei knows that Endeavor’s family has always been the center of his attention. He finally achieved his goal of being the top hero, but even the cold-hearted Endeavor looks back on his dark past with regret. For him, there’s no atonement for what he did to his family. But he presses forward, hoping to prove his muddled path was worth it in the end.

This newly engineered Nomu is the strongest iteration yet – with rapid regenerative abilities and the capacity to speak, this abomination is not the same as those mindless creatures Endeavor fought in Kamino. Buildings are leveled in the blink of an eye as chaos consumes the area. Hawks utilizes his quirk to prioritize rescuing civilians, but his technical prowess can’t match the strength of High-End, so Endeavor is forced to fight the monster head-on. The overwhelming power on display is all too familiar to the people who are helplessly watching at home. Against all odds, All Might triumphed over All For One – the Symbol of Peace went out in spectacular fashion as society was put at ease for the time being. But now, High-End towers over a battered Endeavor. Without the Symbol of Peace, the future of hero society is on the verge of collapsing.

Panic sets in as people attempt to desperately flee the scene, all hope seemingly lost. But there are some who always believed in Endeavor. The fanboy from last episode yells from within the frightened crowd, begging them not to give up on the Number One hero. The TV crew captures his rally cry; as long as his flames continue to burn, Endeavor will fight to protect them. Hawks is also a long-time Endeavor supporter. While the rest of Hero society was comfortable with All Might’s spot at the top, there was one man who truly believed he could surpass the Symbol of Peace. Hawks may be the Number Two hero, but he’s aware that society can’t face the villains on his shoulders alone. He knew that if there was one man who could claim Number One after All Might, it would be Endeavor. Even Shoto, who has always been at odds with his father, can’t help but root for him to succeed. Endeavor’s simple declaration of “Watch Me” is engraved in all of their minds as he fights tooth and nail to defeat the dreaded Nomu.

And once again, just like All Might in Kamino, Endeavor goes beyond his limits to defeat High-End. Studio BONES went all in for this fight – the animation is stellar, and the use of “Your Power” from Season Two’s OST elevates the impact to another degree. As Endeavor raises his fist in victory, Season Four ends on one of the best fights this series has to offer.

But that’s not all! An after-credits scene gives us a glimpse into the cryptic lineage of One For All. Deku wakes up in a dream, his body unable to move aside from his eyes and his right hand. In front of him are the successors of One For All, and next to them stand two figures. The malevolent All For One towers over the other figure, presumably the original user of One For All. Deku reaches out, his hand touching the mysterious man before he suddenly wakes up. He clutches his arm as it begins pulsating with One For All’s energy.

My Hero Academia Season Four ends on a high note. This season was densely packed with varying moods and stories, from the tense Shie Hassaikai saga to the more lighthearted Gentle Criminal arc. Even if it wasn’t my favorite span of episodes, Studio BONES continues to bring Horikoshi’s story to the big screen in impeccable fashion. With Season Five’s confirmation, a new age will take shape for the heroes and villains alike. Dare I say the next season will bring My Hero Academia to even greater heights. Until then, let’s continue to go further beyond. PLUS ULTRA!!